Heh. Starting out my challenge with half-time update as I did not realize I didn’t make a formal post-enty for this year. 
My Grouvee Challenge 2020 this year is based off the previous one from 2019 (it’s attached to this sheet) and this years new template. In addition to the slots of those two I’ve also added steam tags (left) and platforms (right). I started out the year slating things to certain categories picking initial candidates based on the Grouvee Top 250 (and Horrible Hundred) in addition to my backlog and ‘high priority’ wish list. Things like this i’ve made worth an extra ‘point’ so hopefully they’ll get played sooner. I also have a progressive goal of working towards playing ten decent games per platform (Top 10: N64) and being able to feel some satisfaction and pride in presenting that list to others.
- I’m working less this year and don’t have other distractions so I’m really on a roll so far with 36 Completions already (For comparison i completed a whopping 50 last year, I wonder if i can break 100 and become a Demon Prince!
- Several of my games from last year (which I installed but didnt actually play) are still on the Now Playing Shelf in my launchbox.
- A new MAME release came out around Christmas and that got me started on learning about that and so now i know how to play stuff i didn’t (Ex. Die Hard Arcade) It’s definitely dictating my selection. I’ve enjoyed a lot of fantastic Arcade Shooting games/SHMUPS such as Dogyuun, Cabal, After Burner II
- I have a lot of new platforms available this year. I’m really enjoying CD games (SEGA CD, Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube, Wii) Many which are Light Gun games that i’m playing with a wiimote on my Pc connected to the Mayflash Dolphin sensor bar. (I totally recommend checking that out and reading a guide if it’s your thing!)
- I’ve been playing a few games this year i’ve already played in the past because I’ve been playing them for the achievement sets on RetroAchievements for stuff that looks fun because of it. (This includes romhacks)
- After playing a lot of endless/online stuff last year and getting saddled with some very lackluster long games (like No Man’s Sky and Hellgate which i gave way too much time to) I’m not playing any endless/online games right now and mostly focusing on games that I anticipate to be short from HLTB or reddit suggests are under ~8 hours. I’m limiting myself to 1 longer/ongoing game at a time Such as Yakuza 0. I am however on occasion just picking up and playing random old stuff from 8 bit eras, some played and some not and wasting 30 mins with it before dinner and whatnot. Darkula, Kung Fu, Wrecking Crew, Girl’s Garden and random pinball games (I have a bunch of those)
I’m hoping to play some more RPG type stuff in the other half of the year and i’m looking at Probably another Dragon Slayery JARPy type Falcom game, early open world era wonder’s (the oriiginal King’s Field) and maybe a zelda or two. Skyward Sword is working and kinda tempting me even though I haven’t finished Oracle of Ages (yet)
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I very much like the Grouvee Challenge and added my own twist to it using Steam Tags which was a lot of fun to tie games to. Thank you to those of you who got this idea going. In addition to slating stuff on the Steam tag system i went off the current official Grouvee format(s) for 2019/2020, I just did not focus or force myself to pick things in order to complete tiers. I also found that the Grouvee Monthly Retro Game Club and Top 250 (and Horrible Hundred!) were very good ways to pick things to play (regardless of the slot) For quite a few of them, I was focusing on things that I had starred 4-5 stars on my high priority list that I have yet to play and got in a decent number this year…
I failed to complete some games before the year’s end, but that doesn’t bother me so much. I’m still playing Sanctus Reach off and on (a game I started in Jan 2019!) I’m smack dab in the middle of Yakuza 0. Due to picking up (and not being able to put down, lol) a lot of pick-up-and-play type games, I’ve got about 30-odd-something games on my playing shelf and pick quite a few of those up every month (or other month) or so. Which is a habit that I tended not to do so much in recent years since joined Grouvee actually.
Some highlights include continuations in franchises Such as Bioshock 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Super Metroid, Amnesia 2, Castlevania 2, Serious Sam 2 ( I remember at one point actually going for the sequels) I also made a nice dent in old Capcom-era action platformers and Disney IP (I’m not a Disney fan but these games are pretty good!)
Counts for the year’s end:
Official Grouvee Challenge Format: 18
Steam Tags: 57
Console/Platforms: 4
total: 79
Of those 79 games:
BONUS CRITERIA:
Grouvee Retrogame Club Picks/Top 250/Horrible 100: 7
Completed Backlogs: 8
Backlogs/Abandoned Attempts/Current Playthroughs (Both Current and Prior): 18
New Backlogs/Abandoned Attempts/Current Playthroughs: 8 (of that 18)
(I write-off endless games as wash and not count them for either my Played shelf or Grouvee Challenge. Had a few of those.)
Going forward into next year’s challenge with 91 challenges (plus some of the 18 backlogs)
This Fighter’s challenge Kontinues, but for now a feast, mk?
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- GROUVEE 2020 CHALLENGE SLOTS
PROTAGONIST
Ducktales 2 Real Life Animal
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Non-existing Creature
PaRappa The Rapper Child
Apotheon Everyman
Amnesia II: A Machine For Pigs Noble/Royalty
ActRaiser God/Unnamed General Perspective
GRAPHIC STYLE
Streets of Rage 4 Cel-shading
Fez Pixel Art
SOUNDTRACK
Forged Battalion Electronic/Techno
TITLE CONTAINS
198X Number
Black Mesa Name of character/place
SKILLS & THINGS WE WANT TO POSSESS IN REAL LIFE
Felix The Cat Magic Satchel
NEWS HEADLINES
Receiver Mental Health/Psychology
EARTH/NATURE
Cryostasis Snow and Storm
StarTropics Island
Yo! Noid Urban Areas
PLOT/STORY
Flower Rebirth
Goblin Uzi and there’s no plot…
Receiver 2 First-Person
Serious Sam 2 FPS
Journey Adventure
Ori And The Blind Forest Platformer
Truberbrook Point & Click
Zelda II: Adventure of Link Action RPG
Xevious Shoot 'Em Up
Treachery In Beatdown City Retro
SOMA Horror
South Park Stick of Truth Comedy
Blair Witch Exploration
King’s Field (Japanese Original) Hack and Slash
Metal Gear Solid 3 Stealth
Sin & Punishment On-Rails Shooter
Super Metroid Metroidvania
Sonic Spinball Pinball
Afterburner II Flight
Tokyo 42 Cyberpunk
Bioshock 2 Steampunk
Sigma Theory Futuristic
Prey Atmospheric
Light Crusader Magic
Killer7 Surreal
KiKi KaiKai Supernatural
Phelios Mythology
Freeman: Guerrilla Warfare Political
Phantom Doctrine Conspiracy
Chaser Mars
Shaq-Fu 2: A Legend Reborn Martial Arts
Genesis Alpha One Transhumanism
Duke Nukem Forever Aliens/Alien Bastards That Payed
Mega Man II Robots
Mayhem In Monsterland Dinosaurs
Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Vampire
DUSK Demons
Splatterhouse Blood
Lakeview Cabin Collection Violent
Layers of Fear Psychological Horror
Hellblade Sunua’ Sacrifce Psychological
Iridis Alpha Psychedelic
Alekhine’s Gun Cold War
Dragon’s Curse/Adventure Island (TG-16, aka Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap) Swordplay
ABZU Underwater
Dead Space Space
Prospekt Mod
L’Abbaye des Morts Silent Protagonist
The Terminator Movie
Pepsi Invaders 1980’s
Cool Spot 1990’s
Goldeneye 007 (GCN) Remake
Gone Home Short
Streets of Kamurocho 2.5D
A Way Out Local Co-Op
Lifeless Planet Single Player
Devil Daggers Time Attack
Triggerheart Exelica Intentionally Awkward Controls
Mickey Mania Mouse Only
Darius Plus NEC PC Engine SuperGrafx
Ecco The Dolphin Sega CD
Corpse Killer 3D0 Interactive Multiplayer
Jungle Hunt Atari 2600
TIME TO EAT (Official Challenges completed for the year): 18
NOT ON THE MENU (Unofficially completed challenges): 57
THE HOUSE SPECIAL (Challenges counted towards platform-specific slots): 4
EYES BIGGER THAN ONE’S BELLY (Challenges attempted but Backlogged, Abandoned, or Unfinished): 8
ALREADY FULL (Challenges planned for the year but never started): 91
A FAMILIAR TASTE (Challenges counted from existing backlog or began playing in a previous year): 8
DINER’S CLUB (Challenges of games discovered in (or selected by) the Grouvee Community): 7
SCORING:
+18 (Official slots)
+57 (Unofficial slots)
+4 (Platform slots)
[79]
*BONUS *
-8 (Backlog additions)
+8 (Backlog Completions)
+7 (Grouvee Discoveries)
FINAL SCORE: [86]
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